Fort Bliss Officer competes to live on Mars

Friday, December 20, 2013 - 8:26pm

Fort Bliss (U.S. Army) Many children know what they want to be when they grow up. Some wish to become doctors or veterinarians, while others want to be pirates or princesses. Yet, since the first person went into space, many children have dreams of donning a spacesuit and going to other planets.

One of those children is Craig Adam Veilleux, who found the opportunity of a lifetime when the Dutch non-profit organization, Mars One recently began accepting applications from anyone willing to give up life on Earth and become a colonist in a one-way trip to Mars.

I have wanted to go to Mars since I was a little kid, said Veilleux, now 25 and a 1st Lt. with 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command. Yeah, its a crazy dream and doesnt earn as much money as other dreams, but it has kept me going. At first, I wanted to go to the moon, but Mars has an atmosphere.

Veilleux, a Peachtree City, Ga., native, said hes been looking into space exploration and colonization programs for about seven years, and first learned about Mars One on a humor website long before they were seeking applicants.

I was looking through the memes when I saw one called Hey, lets go to Mars, said Veilleux, a launcher platoon leader. I read more about Mars One and sent an email asking them to please send me.

That was when he learned the Mars One program was not yet accepting applications. It was kind of embarrassing, said Veilleux.

Undaunted, Veilleux continued to research everything about colonizing Mars. He read everything on the Mars One website, books about colonizing Mars and the Mars Direct plan which was first suggested in 1990 as a cost-effective, manned-mission to Mars using current technology.

Once the Mars One program officially opened their doors, Veilleux was ready and immediately submitted his application, which required a motivational letter on why he wanted to go to Mars and answering questions about how he handles teamwork or stress.

He would definitely bring a different view on everything because even though he is super smart, he is not just technical, he is fun to work with, too, said Pfc. Chelsea Benbrook, one of Veilleuxs Soldiers.

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Fort Bliss Officer competes to live on Mars